Echos
by Trainkrazy
Summary: The cool breeze of late autumn drew the group to a house in the distant countryside. With the fireplace hot and in decent company they bond just a little closer.
1. Chapter 1: Storm of the DEAD

**Hope you enjoy!**

 **I do not own Highschool of the Dead. All rights go to their respective owners!**

* * *

Thunder roared overhead as rain slammed against the windows of the rickety, dusty, mansion. The skies over Japan opened up, pouring rain on the barren countryside, any living thing was already bedded down, waiting for the storm to cease. Dark shapes moved through the twilight, under Kohta's watchful eye. The dead didn't care what the weather was like, they only wanted to feed. The sound of the thunder deafening them to the group's location as they wandered aimlessly.

The sharpshooter had agreed to be on watch first for the evening, it quickly was proving to be a rather uneventful task. It had been almost a year since the beginning of the apocalypse, their old lives now fading away like the light on the horizon. Panic had long been replaced by routine, with Saya's wits and Takashi's leadership allowing them to stand against the tide. Although the dead were to be feared, many of their packs could be easily avoided or distracted.

With this knowledge they figured out the dos and don'ts of coping with their undead neighbors. Don't stay out at night, avoid making sound when they're nearby, keep something like a rock on hand to draw them away. These little things and more made each day past Z-Day more bearable.

He could feel his stomach growl, _I wonder what we're having for dinner?_ Kohta's eyes traced the courtyard once more before making his way back to where the group was camped.

The crew were sitting close to the hearth, roasting some marshmallows they had found in a market not two days before they got here. Takashi and Saeko were conversing quietly along with Shizuka and Alice, the four enjoying the sweet treat.

Takagi was buried in a book, one they had found amongst many others in the mansion. The gunner's eyes lingered on the pink-haired girl for a moment before grabbing a stick of his own and two of the squishy sugar lumps.

As the flames danced in front of him, Kohta found his mind wandering once more. It had been a couple of months since they had seen their families, most of the teens parents were safe from harm, but they weren't able to remain with them. Takashi recovered for the most part but Rei had taken it the hardest by far, the ginger being out of sight, likely wandering around the house looking for things they could use.

 _I would've never thought I'd be here at the end of the world fighting with a bunch of people that I never could have dreamed being my friends._ He smiled, these six people, plus a dog, felt more like family to him than anything.

"Whatchu smiling about, Kohta?" Somehow Alice had appeared beside him, nearly scaring the living daylights out of him.

His smile grew a little wider, "Just thinking, munchkin."

"Hey, you know I'm not a munchkin anymore, how many times to I have to tell you that!" Alice puffed her cheeks out. The girl had grown confident over the past year, but she thought that being eight years old suddenly made her an adult.

He chuckled, "At least once more, munchkin!"

Kohta liked to think that he had grown into a big brother figure for the girl, since her father died. In a way the entire group had adopted her as their child, each supporting her in their own unique way through this grim reality.

They subsided into silence, Hirano pulled out his marshmallow, which had become a brilliant golden-brown, and put it on a graham cracker. The treat warmed him as he stood up, heading back towards his post by the window.

Takashi looked up from where he was sitting, "Mind if I join you, Hirano?"

The shooter nodded, "Yeah, no problem."

* * *

Since that missile had exploded in the sky the lights had remained dark, Saya had explained the EMP to them, but somehow the lack of street lamps or headlights still baffled him.

"What do you think?" Takashi had found a stool and sat close by, gazing out the window with him.

"Considering that it'll rain for a while longer we probably don't have anything to worry about. Their senses are overloaded so chances are they won't be moving very much, if at all."

Takashi smirked, "A sound analysis, General."

The leader of the group had come up with the nickname, it wasn't very creative, but Kohta appreciated it nonetheless. It reminded him how close he had become with everyone, that thought alone warming him against the autumn air.

There was a stove in the corner of the room, but Kohta didn't want to light it for fear of raiders or the chance of wasting fuel. They would be staying at this location for at least a few more days before moving on.

Their mission had changed from finding their families to locating survivors. Saya's father had established a stronghold of sorts and encouraged their parents to take shelter there, which they ended up doing. Like before the group didn't want to integrate with such a larger crowd, the thought of society had become mostly foreign by the time Souichirou had offered.

So they set out once more in search of survivors and perhaps answers, Saya's curiosity fueling them to scour labs and government offices for clues as to what lead the world to ruin.

Takashi leaned back, "I don't know about you man, but its nice to hear the rain again."

"Its been what, two weeks? No three?"

The boy nodded, "Feels longer than that, time is starting to crawl."

"You know it."

Kohta breathed into his hands, urging them to warm up.

"Not sure if you noticed, but Saya was staring at you back there." Takashi's mouth curving in a sly grin.

He scoffed, "Yeah right, that doesn't mean anything." Unbeknownst to Takashi, Kohta could feel his cheeks warming up at the thought of the pinkette looking at him.

The crush he had formed on her was still there no doubt, but they had managed to become more comfortable around each other. She was still a know-it-all, he wouldn't deny that, but she was stunning when she wanted to be.

Takashi laughed, "Whatever you say dude, I just know she has her eye on you."

He snorted, "Doesn't everyone?"

The leader raised his hand, giving him a thumbs up. "You know it!"

They chuckled together, the night waning on.

* * *

The mansion had grown quiet since everyone had settled down. Takashi had left him in peace only a little while after they talked, promising him he'd be relieved in a few hours by Saeko.

He glanced at his watch, it was a little past eleven o'clock. Digital devices had stopped working in the new world, but thankfully analog ones still did, not that they really needed to understand what day it was, but part of it comforted him. He could still remember the watch his father had worn.

The sound of creaking planks alerted Kohta, the door cracking open behind him. He turned around to see Saya standing in the doorframe, looking rather perplexed.

He smiled, "Can't sleep?"

The genius shook her head, "Guess not, figured I'd better make sure you weren't sleeping on the job."

His face grew stern, "My, my, Saya, do you not trust me?" The laughter in his voice betraying his expression.

She sat down on the bed nearby, "Like I ever would, idiot." The girl playfully threw one of the pillows at him.

The conversation lapsed into silence, which was a fairly normal thing among the group. It wasn't uncomfortable, the atmosphere feeling serene.

 _You almost wouldn't think we were surrounded by rotting corpses._

After a few minutes he spoke up, the girl was absently staring at the opposite wall. "So whats bugging our resident genius tonight?"

It took a lot of unsuccessful tries before that kind of teasing was ever okay with the fireball.

Her face scrunched ever so slightly, "I can't really say, its kind of odd. I just kept turning over, trying to relax, but my mind just continued to run."

He nodded, "I know that feeling, sometimes I wonder if I have insomnia."

"As if, you snore like a gorilla when you sleep."

Kohta's face heated up, "Hey!" He turned to look at her and saw a mischievous sparkle dancing behind those amber orbs.

He turned back to the window, "Ha ha, real funny."

She puffed out her chest, giving off a haughty persona. "I only ever tell the truth, dear citizen."

His eyes rolled one their own, "You sure you didn't want to be a politician before the collapse?"

Saya giggled, "Yeah right, could you really see me on a podium in front of a million people?"

The thought projected in his mind and the results amused him. "Yep, I could see it."

The silence settled once more, Kohta glanced down at his watch, it was approaching midnight. _Saeko aught to be along shortly._ He thought to himself.

He spared a couple of glances at the object of his affection. The pensive expression she had standing in the door marring her features. Being with Takagi for so long he knew that if she had something to say she would spit it out and trying to coax it out of her was a death wish.

"Hey Kohta, I-"

The sound of the door opening interrupted her with Saeko walking in looking puzzled.

Hirano looked at Saya, he already knew the words were dying on her lips.

The swords-woman looked back and forth between them, "I apologize, did I cut you off?"

He could easily tell that the interruption miffed Saya, but she kept it under wraps. "No, nothing." She stood rather quickly and made her way out.

Saeko looked at him, "I'll take watch now, you should get some rest."

The shooter could feel his mind swimming. _What was she going to say?_ "Thank you, Saeko, have a good night."

* * *

By the time he had made it back to the main room Saya was already flipped over, facing away from his sleeping bag. His curiosity was beginning to eat away at him, but the boy knew better than to bug her. He'd just have to wait.

The first annoying thought that came into his head was also the most embarrassing. _What if she was going to confess?_

 _No idiot, girls aren't the ones who confess and if you want to keep breathing you better not try anything._

 _It must've been important if she didn't want to say it in front of Saeko._

 _There are plenty of important things besides relationships to consider nowadays, remember that._

He scoffed quietly, _Yeah, thanks for nothing._

The boy rolled over, facing away from the dwindling flames, the cold seeping in ever so slightly.

* * *

 **A/N: Howdy ho everyone, hope you enjoyed. This is gonna be a short series that I kind of came up with on a whim. It's not gonna be so much about action or adventure or even very much about zombie slaying, but more of a slice of life, campy sort of story, so if you aren't into that I understand.**

 **If you can't tell its gonna be focusing on my boy Hirano, cause I feel like he doesn't get enough love, but I digress. This is gonna be pretty short, I'm not sure how short, but who cares. If you guys see anything wrong as far as grammar and stuff go please let me know!**

 **Have a nice day!**


	2. Chapter 2: Game of the DEAD

**Hope you enjoy!**

 **I do not own Highschool of the Dead. All rights go to their respective owners!**

* * *

The sun broke through the following morning with surprising vigor, rising at dawn and cutting through the heavy, moist air. Thankfully nothing snuck up on them in the middle of the night, most of Them disappearing without a trace.

Kohta was currently sitting on one of the many balconies of the mansion doing what he does at the start of the day, breaking down and providing maintenance to the various weapons that they keep.

His eyes traced the hills in the distance and the town that was below them, there weren't any bodies shuffling around.

He mumbled under his breath, "I can't believe that there was nearly a hundred last night and now not a one this morning." The gunner broke down the MP5 and began oiling the barrel and other components.

 _Perhaps they have some awareness when there's no food nearby?_ _Or maybe they somehow followed the storm?_ His mind continued to wander until his work was nearing completion.

Looking down at his rifle his brows furrowed. _Something must've drawn them away, or they're all in hiding._

A knock on the door snapped him from his thoughts. He turned his head to see Takashi walking towards him.

Kohta smiled as he greeted the group's leader. "Yo! Rest well?"

The boy simply rubbed his head, "Not really, kept thinking about where we'd be headed next."

Hirano had already turned back to the view, "Don't worry too much about it, just so long as we're moving I don't think it matters where we go."

Takashi sat down cross-legged by him, following his gaze out beyond the mansion's courtyard. "This would almost spoil a person."

He smiled, "Yeah." Kohta could see Miss Shizuka and Alice playing with Zeke in the yard below.

 _It's a shame we couldn't just stay here. Fortify the hill, maybe grow a garden, and I think Saeko saw a river nearby._ He must've been mumbling under his breath cause Komuro patted him on the back.

"You alright?"

Hirano nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just was thinking."

"Well I think the girls might be cooking breakfast so if you want to come down feel free." With that the boy stood and made his way back inside.

Kohta quickly packed up his equipment and the guns, but took a look back out, just in case.

* * *

The meal was a quiet affair, everyone eating his or her fill of beef jerky, cheese, and pudding. If there was one thing that Kohta missed in this new world it was bacon and eggs, they hadn't found any that weren't spoiled in a few weeks, but he wouldn't complain.

 _I wonder if we could start a farm of sorts, Zeke already proved that They aren't attracted to animals._

He rattled his head a bit to clear his train of thought. _Focus on eating!_

Chances were they would need to make a supply run to the town below to find food and clothing. With winter rolling in they would need to keep some spares around in case it snowed.

Rei suddenly spoke up behind her jerky, "So I found something neat last night."

The entire groups eyes fell on her, "Do tell."

She smiled proudly, "A telescope!"

Saya perked up, "Really?"

"Yep, there's one in a bedroom upstairs, guess the people who owned this place liked stargazing."

"I'd like to check it out, it would give me something to do besides reading." The pinkette brightened up significantly.

The ginger nodded, "Alright, I'll show you after we've cleaned up."

Kohta was happy to see her smile.

* * *

A heavy wind rolled in from the east, drawing in dark clouds from the ocean. Hirano could already tell it was going to be another doozy. Sure enough an hour after breakfast another torrent of rain poured in on them.

Unfortunately since it was still daylight he was in a parka walking around the complex to make sure none of Them had gotten through. _Row, row, row your boat._

The grounds were roughly a quarter mile square, giving them about forty acres of enclosed land. The fence was in decent condition, but its construction wouldn't hold back a swarm of Them.

He looked across the courtyard to see Takashi waving at him. _Guess he finished up._

Kohta waved back and made his way back towards the house. He hung the parka in the foyer and shucked his boots. Miss Shizuka, Alice, and Saeko were all sitting near the fireplace.

 _Rei and Saya must still be looking at the telescope._ He looked back outside. _Though it won't do them much good with this storm._

"God, I'm so bored!" He could hear Saeko groan from her chair.

Takashi shrugged, "Has anyone looked for a board game?"

Miss Shizuka cupped her chin, "I think there are some in the study."

Kohta piped up, "I'll go grab one, it would give us something to do."

* * *

He made his way back into the room with a stash of games and dropped them down.

"Hmm, oh I see Uno!" Alice plucked out the red box of cards.

Everyone sat down in a circle as Takashi dealt out the cards and started the game, each player eyeing the other with distrust.

It only took a couple of minutes before someone started crying, "Saeko, why would you do that? How many plus fours do you have?!" Kohta had just been hammered with his second draw four in a row.

A wicked gleam had embedded itself in the swords-woman's eye. "You see my dear gunner, I always have a trick up my sleeve."

The purple haired demon was already down to two cards, "Takashi, you gotta stop her!"

The leader snorted, "You've got to be kidding right?" The boy had eight cards and all of them were either sevens or threes.

Miss Shizuka was sitting pretty with about half the deck and Alice had bailed to find snacks. Kohta looked down at his measly hand. _No wilds, no skips, no nothing! This is so stupid!_

Two turns passed and Saeko stood over them, a triumphant huff escaping her. "It was too easy."

Tears leaked from Takashi's eyes as he revealed his hand.

Kohta was astonished, "Dude, you're the unluckiest Uno player of all time."

The boy could only nod, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

* * *

As the evening shifted into night the storm continued to rage, the group could hear the rain pounding against the rooftop. Miss Shizuka had decided it would be best for her and Alice to turn in upstairs tonight since they could take advantage of the beds that were there.

The five teens were now relaxing in various ways, Kohta and Takashi were playing War with one of the card decks. Saya was reading once again since the clouds obstructed the telescope, glancing occasionally at the boys. Rei was roasting a marshmallow while Saeko sharpened her katana.

Kohta was winning his third game when Rei suddenly spoke, "Hey, you guys want to play a game?"

Takashi was downtrodden, he was simply the worst at card games. "Sure, anything is better than this. What did you have in mind?"

Everyone looked at the girl curiously, Kohta sipping from a water bottle.

"We could play Truth or Dare?"

The boy immediately choked on his beverage, he tried to cover up his coughing while they discussed.

 _Of course she would choose one of the most embarrassing party games._

Takashi scratched his head, "I don't know, isn't that game kind of childish?"

The three girls adopted a hard glint in their eyes, the leader could feel a chill crawl up his spine. "Oooookay, forget what I said. I'm sure it'll be fine, right Hirano?"

Still recovering from his coughing fit he simply nodded, not wanting to disrupt the energy. _I can make it through this, just avoid dares for the love of God_.

Rei did a quick clap and a happy giggle as she disappeared to find a bottle to spin. She came back a short time later with an empty beer bottle. "They had some alcohol in the kitchen, I figured it wouldn't hurt to pour out one."

The five gathered around, ready to play.

"Since I suggested it, I'll spin first!" Rei spun the bottle, it landed on Takagi.

"Okay, truth or dare?"

The girl hesitated for a second, "Truth."

"Hmm, have you ever gone overseas?"

Saya shook her head, "Nope. I was too young to go with mama and papa on their trips."

The pinkette spun the bottle, Takashi was next.

"Truth or dare?"

Takashi smirked confidently, "Dare."

"I dare you to, um, eat ten marshmallows at once."

Kohta watched as his friend stuffed his face with the puffy treats, a chuckle rose in his chest as Komuro struggled to ingest them. It didn't take long for everyone to be in stitches, including Takashi, who was still trying to get the food down.

 _I must've been overthinking this, manga had always made it seem so awkward._ It was fun for him to see his comrades enjoy themselves.

After another minute or two of chewing Takashi grabbed the bottle and spun, it landed on Kohta.

"Okay Hirano, truth or dare?"

 _Oh boy, here we go._ "Uh, I'll do truth."

"Saya might've never been across the big blue, but what about you? Have you ever left the country?"

 _Easy._ "I have, my mother used to take me to Paris and other places when she demoed her new dress lines."

The group was a little surprised, "Wait, you were being serious?" Referring to all those months ago on Z-Day.

Kohta snorted, "You guys thought I was lying to you? She stopped taking me when I paid too much attention to the models, so I haven't left Japan in a couple of years."

Komuro smirked, "Oh ho, you dog!"

 _I shouldn't have said that._ His face began to heat up, "W-well, I was a growing boy after all, it was, you know, only natural!"

Once again the group broke into a fit of laughter.

*line break*

The five of them continued late into the night, the need for sleep falling by the wayside. Saeko had managed to hunt down some snacks from one of the pantries, some of it was stale, but they didn't care.

Kohta was enjoying himself, but he started to notice that the girls were steering the game in a more intimate direction, something that he was fearful of. _It was only a matter of time before we'd have to succumb to our fate._

The Bottle of Destiny had fallen on him once more.

"Truth or dare?" Saeko grinned at him mischievously.

 _I don't like that look._ "Truth." _Just stick to your guns, truth is better than dare!_

Rei spoke up around a few crackers, "Hey, you never play dare Kohta, come on, everyone else has!"

He could feel his face heating once more, "Yes, well, I just don't really like dares is all. Truths are a bit more insightful." _Nailed it!_

The ginger rolled her eyes, "Whatever, we're gonna get you to do one before tonight is done!"

Pulling the game back in, Saeko asked her question. "Have you ever been kissed by a girl?"

 _..._

Kohta knew it would come eventually, he just wished he wasn't the first targeted by the romantic questions.

 _My fate is sealed, this is the end, there was so much I wanted to do._

He gaze fell to his lap, the temperature of his face approaching critical.

 _Gotta be honest, gotta be honest._

"Well... uh... no."

The boy could feel everyone's eyes on him. _Damnit._

Takashi was the first to comment, "No big deal dude, this is just a game after all. We just want to know a little more about you, ain't that right?" He cast a disappointed frown to the rest of the group.

Rei nodded quickly, "Yeah Hirano, thats not something to be embarrassed about, we're only high schoolers after all."

Saeko agreed, Takagi only looked away not saying a word.

Kohta, wanting this nightmare to be over, spun the bottle quickly and with Takashi's help lead the game back to a more fruitful, and far less embarrassing, direction.

With the storm outside still raging the group continued to play into the wee hours of the morning. Although he couldn't see them a certain pair of amber eyes kept tracking the otaku.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed, kind of an odd place to end it! I've been having writers block for my other stories so I just wanted to do something low key to help get me back on track, so if this seems boring I apologize, but I hope you liked it anyway! Its kind of hard to make Truth or Dare a little less cliché, but whatevs!**

 **If the characters seem a little OOC I apologize too, its just how I interpret them! :)**

 **Have a good day!**


	3. Chapter 3: Clouds of the DEAD

**Hope you enjoy!**

 **I do not own Highschool of the Dead. All rights go to their respective owners!**

* * *

 _Thump._

 _Thump._

 _Thump._

Kohta plucked the ball out of the air, having bounced it against the opposite wall, his mind swimming from events over the past couple of days, the thought of building a refuge or fortress becoming ever present.

 _There are so many things to consider._

He had grabbed a notebook from the study the previous night, after all the shenanigans of Truth or Dare were over, and had begun making notes. Little scribbles about potential food and water sources, how to fortify the perimeter so that they would be safe and other such things.

 _No way any of them will be on board with it, though._

The gunner tossed the ball again, _thump, thump, thump._

 _I need some fresh air._

Taking his pistol and holster he stepped outside, the cool air catching his breath. It wasn't particularly sunny, clouds lazily moved to the east blocking the sun every few minutes.

 _Probably going to rain again tonight._

Everyone had been checking the grounds after breakfast that morning, Rei had decided to sleep in and Kohta lagged behind due to his loud thoughts. Takashi and Saeko had decided to go on a supply run, but the rifleman had a hunch they just wanted some alone time.

His thoughts drifted to yesterday, more the game they played than anything else, the boy had a tendency to dwell on his social life.

Mostly he was thinking of Takagi.

It had been months since they all came together and while he was much more comfortable around the pinkette he still couldn't help but feel nervous.

 _Stop it._ He started to walk at a faster pace, trying to draw his thoughts away from Saya.

Ever since the mall and Asami he had become increasingly more possessive of their safety from others and outside groups, so by extension his feelings towards protecting Saya had amplified.

 _Wish I could just shoot something; I need to get out of my own head._

He let out a sigh and continued on his way.

* * *

After what seemed like a couple of hours Kohta finally came to a stop, taking a seat on one of the many benches he looked to the south. Earlier that morning he had scoped a couple of Them from this direction.

He could see the town that Takashi and Saeko had gone to, they had made several trips and yet there were plenty of supplies for their group. Hirano pulled out his binoculars and looked down the road, he could see her and their leader walking back to the mansion, a smile on her face and their arms laced together.

 _Hmm, this could spell trouble if Rei sees._ She and Saeko had taken to a competition of sorts for Takashi's affection, the gunner assumed they were trying to keep it a secret between them, but the girls were about as subtle as a bomb blast.

He chuckled to himself, _it'll be quite the show._

"What're you laughing about?"

Jumping out of his skin would have been an understatement as Saya plopped down beside him.

He grabbed his chest, "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" his laugh this time came out partially as a wheeze.

She took the binoculars from his hand, "No, just saw you making laps and wondered what the fuss was about." The pinkette dialed in on Takashi.

"So, that's what it is." A pink eyebrow rose.

Putting his hands behind his head Kohta stretched against the bench, "Yep."

Hirano had to admit that the bench was pretty wide; it could host three people without very many issues, but for whatever reason it felt like it got a whole lot smaller.

"Who do you think he'll pick?" Takagi placed the binoculars beside her, away from him.

The question took him by surprise, "Well, being honest, I've never really given it much thought. Guess I figured it's his business."

Saya hummed, "I suppose, but my bet is on Saeko."

He looked at her, their eyes meeting. "Why is that?"

She blinked, leaning back against the bench and looking to the sky, "Her strength complements his."

Hirano followed her gaze, "Who knows?"

Throughout this conversation he was trying his best to simply not look at her, they had never really talked about relationships before, even if it weren't pertaining directly to them. The setting to him seemed a lot more romantic the more he thought about it.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid, keep it together man._

"Do you think having a lover is a bad idea?"

If he were drinking it'd be all over his pants, _why must she do this to me?_

"You mean like in general?"

She pulled her knees up to her chest, gazing down at the ground now. "Well, no, I mean with Them being around. There are so many risks."

Suddenly he felt really uncomfortable, "Oh."

Saya looked down the road to where Takashi and Saeko were laughing, they couldn't hear them, but could see their happiness.

He leaned forward, "I think it's important to still have love, even in the midst of these dire circumstances."

Kohta's answer must've been a surprise to the pinkette, because she perked up.

"You really think that?"

"Well yeah. I guess there would be a risk in having a lover, especially if you were… um… intimate. Having a child would pose a problem, but think of it this way."

She was staring at him intently now.

"If we completely cut off having feelings of love for another person with the thought that it'd be protecting them or, more likely, ourselves from pain and then something bad were to happen, then you never got to experience the joy in the first place." He let out a breath, his words coming out in a stream.

Hirano looked back to the sky, "Before this apocalypse started I never even imagined having friends let alone someone to love, my parents were all I had for the longest time, so for me especially, even with all the wrong that is happening, I think its even more important now to not give up on love."

Now finished his words gave way to the sound of the wind and the rustling of the leaves. Saya wasn't saying anything.

Kohta scratched his head, "Guess that sounded a little cliché huh?"

The girl blinked a couple of times, "No, not really."

He blew out a sigh of relief. "You think so?"

Although the boy wasn't able to tell she was inching closer to him. "I came from a family of rich politicians, Kohta, to say I was an outcast, like you were treated, would be wrong, but I wasn't like everyone else. There were social climbers from the day I entered school, disgusting idiots came out in droves when I went to Fujimi."

Hirano pictured all the guys that she shut down; it was very hard to imagine this volatile girl having much trouble.

"Takashi was there, we've been friends as long as I can remember, but even then."

She stopped.

He looked at her; Saya's eyes were filled with something unreadable. "What?"

"Even though I'm smart and put myself above the rest academically a part of me always longed for that ideal high school romance, you know?"

"More than you would believe." He laughed and she smiled.

"So, like you said, even when we're here, surrounded by the dead, I think those feelings are what helps humanity keep on going. It's not cliché at all."

His heart was warmed, even with this conversation being so close to something that bugged him, something about knowing Takagi felt the same about love made him grin.

The two of them allowed the silence to sing, heart to hearts were a rarity for the both of them. Kohta closed his eyes, simply enjoying the moment.

After a few minutes he felt something brush his hand, opening his eyes he noticed that Saya was very, very close.

He glanced down; her fingers began to twine with his. The boy dared not say a word, especially now, his face erupting with heat. Scooting closer to him she laid her head on his shoulder.

 _This girl is going to kill me._

* * *

 **A/N: This is kind of part one of Chapter 3, full of fluff as the doctor ordered. Hope you liked it, I definitely enjoyed writing it and if you feel inclined leave a review, it helps me develop further and its nice to hear the things you have to say.**

 **Cheers!**


	4. Chapter 4: Dinner of the DEAD

**Hope you all enjoy!**

 **I do not own Highschool of the Dead. All rights go to their respective owners.**

* * *

Kohta woke to a touch on his shoulder and the dark amber glow of the setting sun. Takashi put a finger up to his mouth, with Saeko standing beside him he figured something was up, but their leader pointed next to him.

That's when he saw something that supercharged his heartbeat, Saya leaning against him, sound asleep.

 _I must've died and gone to heaven._

The two people standing in front of him had an all-knowing smile plastered to their faces, he could feel the blood rushing into his. Takagi's breathing was slow and steady, she had set her glasses down at her feet which were curled up beside her, leaning her full weight into the gun master.

Takashi squatted down next to him and whispered, "Long day?"

Kohta spoke quietly in return, "I guess so, she didn't seem too tired when we were talking."

The other boy shrugged, "We'll leave you to it. It'll be like we weren't even here. Miss Shizuka is probably working on dinner, so I'd head in soon."

The leader stood and with Saeko's fingers now twined with his they made their way to the mansion leaving Kohta alone with the pinkette and no clue on how to wake her without his immediate demise.

 _Put me up against a hundred of Them and I won't bat an eye, but against Takagi I have no power._

He debated between clearing his throat or shrugging his shoulder a bit, but decided that'd be too rude.

 _Maybe just tell her to wake up?_

Just then the wind picked up ever so slightly blowing a few strands of hair in front of Saya's eyes.

 _Even when she's resting she is utterly breathtaking._

Without really thinking he slowly pushed the hairs back behind her ear, careful not to shift his shoulder, he could feel his finger touch her and to his terrible surprise her eyes slowly flittered open.

 _For the love of all things good left in this world, don't be angry._

Without leaning away from him she looked up at the boy, "How long was I asleep."

Her dreamy expression was set to kill and left him lost for words, "Well, uh, you know, I'm not sure, cause, I guess, Takashi and Saeko just got back, and…"

As if he wasn't shaken enough she put a finger to his lips as she sat up, "That's quite enough out of you," A coy smile playing on her lips.

 _I never knew angels had pink hair…_

Grabbing her glasses she stood and stretched, there were no signs of Them around the perimeter and Kohta couldn't hear Them either, so the fence was still secure.

Taking a few quick deep breaths he got his nerves under control, "Takashi said that Miss Shizuka was making dinner, I kind of lost track of time." He scratched the back of his head.

She put a finger to her lips, "Then we'd better get going, I hope Alice and Rei weren't worried about where we went."

The gunner smiled, "If they are I'll take the blame!"

Saya smirked, "How noble of you."

And so the two set off, but he could swear that her shoulder brushed his from time to time.

* * *

It was like all eyes were set on him when they sat down at their makeshift dinner table. He could assume that everyone had already heard about it, even Alice, but Takagi, much to his surprise, didn't even seem phased as she down across from him.

The menu tonight was beef jerkey, canned pears, and crackers, it would definitely fill the void, but Kohta missed the days of hearty meals, although his stomach didn't.

Rei stared at him with the cheekiest expression he had ever seen in his life, the food he was eating went down like rocks and gravel. Saeko and Miss Shizuka were chatting back and forth with Saeko chiming in.

Rei finally opened her mouth, "So. Kohta."

 _Here we go._

He glanced up from his meal, meeting her eyes for a second, "Hmm?"

"When should we start calling you Casanova?"

As if on queue a piece of meat caused him to sputter and cough, bringing everyone's attention to him once more. The boy was so busy trying to not blow out a lung he couldn't see the wicked gleam in Saya's eyes. Their genius' gaze bore through Rei like a mining rig, leaving the amber haired girl rather flustered.

Takashi patted him on the back, trying to help him clear it out. Kohta reached for some water, which Takagi provided.

Taking some swigs he coughed out a few "Thanks."

Shizuka, not reading the atmosphere piped up. "I must say you two were the cutest thing I'd seen. Like something out of a manga, oh how I do love watching young love bloom!"

Saeko snorted, "It was quite surprising seeing you two like that."

"How so?" Takagi finally snapped out.

The swordswoman grinned, "You haven't exactly been the least prickly person around."

"Oh yeah?"

Takashi cut off whatever Saeko was about to say next, "I think what she means is that its nice seeing you open up for once. I sure am."

Although that seemed to settle her temper some, she still huffed.

"I just lost track of time, that's all, me and Saya were just trying to make sure you guys weren't having trouble on the supply run." Kohta had finally begun to speak again.

 _Damn jerky, trying to put me down._

Shizuka spoke once more, "Well that's enough of the gossip, you all need to make sure you eat!" The blond had slipped into her "Serious Mode" as Kohta like to call it, the nurse acting more as a mother and a professional.

Rei and Saeko relented setting back to their meals, Alice all the while looking on in confusion and munching on crackers.

* * *

With dinner out of the way, and Kohta excusing himself early to avoid any confrontation with the other girls, he had finally found some peace since he woke up. It wasn't raining, but it wasn't exactly clear either as he sat on the balcony of the mansion, trying to clear his thoughts.

 _Stupid Saeko… stupid Rei… can't just leave well enough alone._

He looked out over the garden that sprawled in front of him, trying to think about anything but Saya, he thought about potential ways of reinforcing the perimeter or perhaps making a garden so they could be more self-sufficient and not relying on supply runs for resources.

"Breath in. Breath out."

The gunner could hear the sounds of footsteps and prayed it was Takashi and sure enough when he turned it was. His friend sat down beside him, letting out a heavy sigh as he did so.

"Sorry about that, it's like a feeding frenzy around those girls sometimes." Komuro lightly slapped his shoulder.

Kohta smiled nervously, "Yeah I guess, I assumed I wasn't going to make it through dinner anyways."

"They'll get over it for sure, but in the mean time, how in the world did you get Takagi to… I don't know, sleep on you I guess? As long as I've known her she's been a touch-me-not and not too kind to those who get too friendly."

Hirano looked to the sky, the few stars that cracked through the clouds. "I was already asleep by the time whatever it was happened. She and I had just been talking about love and how it related to the new world and stuff."

He sighed, "We were waiting for you and Saeko to get back, I guess the evening breeze lulled me to sleep."

Takashi chuckled, "Well, no matter what the other girls say I think its great that you're being that support that Saya needs, her mom used to do most of the comforting for her when I was around. I was being honest at dinner about what I said."

The gunner smiled, looking up once more. "Yeah."

They sat in silence listening to the wind and the sound of distant thunder, Hirano really appreciated moments like these. Eventually Takashi stood up, leaving the boy to his quiet.

 _I wonder how cold it'll be tonight. I could almost camp out right here._

Deciding to not keep his thoughts at bay any longer he pondered on Takagi's recent behavior.

 _Seems like yesterday when she was still all tense and irritable. Is it really me that mellowed her out?_

Takashi's words were kind and he appreciated them, but part of him wondered if they were true.

 _Not that I'm going to complain. The fact a girl felt comfortable enough to sleep on my shoulder is enough. They used to not want to get near me with a ten-foot pole, so it's a major upgrade._

He breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth. "In and out."

 _I wonder what time it is? Is Saya already asleep?_

The gunner hummed an old tune he liked from before Z-Day. _I really miss music sometimes._

Heels clacking against the wood and stone brought his attention to the next visitor. Rei looked somewhat uncomfortable as she sat down beside him.

"Are you alright, Rei?"

She nodded, her head resting on her knees.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, the awkwardness growing steadily.

Just when he was about to comment she spoke up, "I'm sorry about dinner, Hirano."

He smiled at the girl, "You really don't have to worry about that, it just caught me by surprise is all."

She glanced at him, her amber eyes filling with tears that she was barely keeping down.

 _Uh oh, what did I do?_

"It might seem silly, but I was just talking with Miss Shizuka after we finished cleaning up, I just feel so jealous, you know? Like everyone around me still has someone to love and I don't." She wiped her eyes with a sleeve.

He put a hand on her shoulder, "You still have Takashi don't you? Alice?"

The lancer shook her head, "I don't mean familial love."

His hand dropped, "Oh." _I could have guessed that._

She gazed at the stars, "I lost to Saeko weeks ago, probably even before then. I just liked to think I was still in the race, you know?"

"Kind of. Before Z-Day it never even felt like I got a ticket to the race." The boy frowned slightly.

"Hisashi just was there for me, Takashi had grown more distant, and there was so much drama going on with Shido and my dad." The tears were now coming down steadily.

Not sure of what to do he simply rubbed around her upper back and shoulders, attempting to comfort the girl.

"I take it this is because you saw him and Saeko together?"

She nodded in her knees, her feet curling as close to her as possible.

 _She and I haven't really been close; this must be tough on her._

"Think of it this way, Rei, maybe you're destined to do something greater for the time being. I know its probably hard to think about not having someone to love, but you'll get through it I'm sure, I've seen your strength before."

He could hear her sniffle, "Easy for you to say, Saya has been all over you recently."

A blush fired up his face, "Well, I'll just say that is unexpected and I really don't know what to think, Saya doesn't always speak her mind with me."

Rei looked up at him, "I'm sure she likes you at least."

"Maybe. I'd like to think so, I wouldn't really call myself the most attractive guy, but I do know how to shoot a gun." He chuckled a bit, trying to lighten the mood.

To his delight she giggled slightly, the tears seeming to have stopped. "I don't know, you've slimmed up a bit."

"You're too kind."

Like with Takashi before they lapsed into silence, Kohta still enjoying the night air. He could feel something brush his fingers.

"Hey Kohta."

The boy looked over, "Hmm?"

Rei gave a quick squeeze to the top of his hand and smiled, "Thank you."

He closed his eyes and sprawled on his back. "Anytime." He yawned, "Anytime."

She giggled one last time before standing and leaving.

"You better not catch a cold, Saya will have your head if you do."

Hirano snorted, "Yeah, you're probably right."

The wind picked back up, cooling his nerves, he still wasn't totally accustomed to talking with girls, especially ones like those in his group. Boys at Fujimi would've killed to be in Takashi and his position.

 _Guess my luck does shine through sometimes._

Cushioning his head with his hands he allowed himself to drift off to wherever his mind wanted.

His last thought put a smile on his face, _Wonder how much money I could've made as a therapist?_

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Man that was fun. Echos has probably been one of the more enjoyable stories that I've written, the fluff and plot and everything, its just been too much fun. Kind of a weird thing while I was writing this chapter, I thought about the possibility of Rei and Kohta getting together.**

 **Weird right? Might be something I explore in the future, but you never know. Maybe do a Rei x Kohta x Saya story for the kicks, I do love shipping its just so difficult writing a three person ship that's believable.**

 **But I digress.**

 **Hope you guys enjoy!**

 **~ Trainkrazy ~**


	5. Chapter 5: Thoughts of the DEAD

**I do not own Highschool of the Dead. All rights go to their respective owners.**

* * *

The next few days passed without any groundbreaking events for the gunner, much to his relief. They hadn't even seen a trace of Them in that time, Saya guessed it was because the sound of the thunderstorms that kept drawing Them away. Even with the frequent weather it still stayed dry enough for Kohta to do patrols around the manor.

Although this stroke of luck was a welcome change, it did not keep their stomachs full. The makeshift family had gathered in the living room to discuss this.

Exhaling through his nose, Takashi spoke. "We've got about another day or two worth of food, so any ideas on where to look?"

"There is a market in the northeast side of town we haven't checked, there could still be some food there." Saeko pointed to the shop she mentioned on their crude, drawn out map.

They had called the meeting as Kohta had begun cleaning the weapons for the day, "Its worth a shot, it'll be close quarters, but nothing we haven't dealt with before." Having just broke down his rifle he began his routine.

Their leader rolled up the map, "I guess its settled, then. We'll need all hands on deck for this one to make it worth our time. So lets lock up and head out as soon as we can, I don't want to be stuck out after dark."

"Roger that, chief!"

Takashi chuckled a little while cringing, "Please don't call me that."

* * *

Kohta scanned the surroundings as they approached the town, it had taken them a little more than an hour of walking with the pace that Takashi set. He could feel the blood pumping in his heart, it felt like an eternity since he'd been on a raid.

Bringing up the rear of the group he had Shizuka and Alice directly in front of him with everyone else at the head. They slowed to a crawl through the damp streets, ears peeled for any sign of Them.

The boy scanned every rooftop, alleyway, and side street to make sure there weren't signs of life, the last thing they needed was to be ambushed. They had their fair share of run-ins with the madness of the apocalypse.

They had made it to the market around noon, leaving them plenty of time to safely check the building and grab the things they needed. They needed the extra hands since Takashi wanted to travel light.

After having broken up into pairs the group looked through each isle, the bathrooms, and the few offices they had at the market to make sure there weren't any of Them hiding.

"Looks safe, lets grab what we can." Takashi called out somewhere near the entrance.

While some of the more obvious food and supplies had been thoroughly picked through, there were still plenty of items that could be salvaged. Kohta filled his backpack with some canned fruits and vegetables he found along with plenty of water. /i I wonder how we could gather fresh water? /i

"Do you think these would taste any good?" Rei held up a can of pickled beets with a puzzled expression on her face.

Hirano snorted, "You've never had beets before?"

She pouted, "Hey!"

He raised his hands, "Joking, joking, but yes, they're pretty good. I had some while I was in America."

Throwing the can into her bag they continued to forage for supplies, many aisles over Takashi and Saya were busy picking through spices and other condiments in hopes of making their food a little more appealing.

"We really should just grab salt and pepper, the less excess we carry the better." The pinkette huffed a bit as Takashi tossed a few hot sauces in the bag.

He shrugged, "What could it hurt, the kitchen at the manor is massive, there is plenty of space."

"Whatever."

Their leader could tell something had been on her mind since that morning, hence why she was with him and not Kohta. He needed to find out what had her wound up.

"You know I hear Hirano likes spicy food, he mentioned it to me a while back." The boy glanced at her to gauge the reaction.

It was like a minor electric shock, she looked ready to burst from her skin. "Is that so?" The words came out with their own level of spice to them.

He moved a little way down the aisle, looking over some of the products to see if any were still edible. Many things had spoiled since the electricity had went out.

Looking again its like her mind was elsewhere, he could see, they were childhood friends after-all. The subtle twitches of her eye and twiddling of her fingers, it all reinforced an opinion that he had some confidence in.

Lowering his voice some he said, "You're in love with him aren't you?"

As if struck by a branding iron she went wild. "Are you crazy?!"

Her voice rang throughout the entire store, catching the attention of the rest of the group. It left Takashi's ears ringing to say the least.

"They can hear you all the way in Tokyo! It was just a simple question!"

She was embarrassed, he could tell, there was steam coming out the top of her head. Not saying a word she slowly covered her face.

Moving back down the isle a bit he put a hand on her shoulder, "He's a good guy."

Saya didn't speak, but nodded her head.

"Why do you seem so scared of it?"

Having recovered slightly she whispered, "Of what?"

He dropped his hand, "I think you know, aren't you supposed to be a genius?"

She lapsed into silence for a few seconds, he went back to gathering supplies.

"What if I push him away?"

 _You'd have to be pretty persistent_. "You need to give him a little more credit."

She put a few small containers of spices in her bag, "You were my only friend before this all started. I'm not an idiot, I know I'm hard to deal with."

 _Well... you aren't wrong_. "But you're also one of the most passionate girls I know and you know what you want. I wouldn't hesitate to say you're one of a kind and I think he likes that about you."

Having scooted closer to Takashi, her voice dropped again, "You really think so?"

He glanced at her, it was the most conflicted expression he had ever seen. _Maybe I should've gotten Saeko to talk with her_.

The boy smiled. "Absolutely."

* * *

With everyone gathered by the entrance they surveyed their plunder.

"If properly managed this could survive a week, maybe a little more." Miss Shizuka seemed thrilled that so much was found.

"We'll need to come back at some point, but there isn't much left to use here." Saeko readied her sword for the walk home.

Takashi shrugged, "Then we expand out search, there are still a couple of places in town that we haven't looked at and if we can't find anything else we'll just move onto the next city."

"I had an idea."

The group looked at Kohta.

Buckling a bit from their attention he spoke, "I've been thinking over the past few days about stuff. What if we made a garden? I'm sure there are plants that could produce fruit this time of year and then we'd have a more consistent supply of fresh food."

Takagi looked surprised, "A garden? That could take months!"

"Yeah, that sounds nice, Kohta, but we won't be here that long." Takashi patted him on the back.

The boy didn't respond right away, starting to fidget. _I guess its now or never._ "What if we stayed, though?"

There was silence.

"I know we've been on the move to find survivors and everything, but I was thinking how nice its been these past few days. The manor has good bones to build some fortifications and if we could make our own food and water then maybe the survivors could come to us! The storms have kept Them away and maybe with them having migrated we'll never see Them again."

At this point he was looking the ground, his face hot. "It'd be a long shot, probably, but I have to be honest with you guys."

All the boy could think was, _This is crazy, this is crazy._

Continued silence, it felt like hours to the gunner before someone said something.

Saya was the first, "Its possible, I guess."

Kohta raised his head. Both Rei and Shizuka seemed at odds with the idea, Saeko maintained her cool expression, not seeming fazed by the idea. Takashi was scratching his head, but Alice looked fit to burst.

"We'd be like a family! I think it'd be awesome!" Alice exclaimed, startling the rest of them.

To say the reaction was unexpected would be putting it lightly, but it gave Kohta a little hope.

Rei huffed, "What about our families, we'll just leave them behind?"

 _Shoot._ "Well, we could go get them, just like we did before."

"That would be quite a long way and there is no guarantee they'd want to come. We already tried once." Saeko still seemed indifferent to his proposal.

It was like grasping at straws, hopelessness started to sink in. The boy tried not to cry, just barely keeping the tears in. Deciding it would be best just to drop the idea he simply turned away from the group.

"It was just an idea, no big deal, just figured I'd throw the thought out." He chuckled, although it felt hollow in his throat. "Lets head out!"

Unslinging his rifle he lead the group home keeping an extremely brisk pace, no one spoke.

* * *

It was dusk when they finished stowing their plunder in the pantries at the manor, Kohta still did not speak while the others idly chatted. Once the last can was away he snuck out of the room and to his balcony hoping to clear his head.

The sinking feeling hadn't left, but at least he wasn't to the brink of tears anymore. Praying to be left alone he stretched out with a pillow under his head. The boy attempted to put his thoughts to rest, but they continued to run rampant.

He cursed under his breath, "I should've figured."

* * *

She wasn't sure what to do, her mind sped out of control as she flipped through the book in front of her that she wasn't reading. _He looked so put out._

Saya continued to go back to his suggestion, for the genius it didn't seem like a stretch for them to start a new life here. The girl thought about it a couple of times over the past few months with the different places they stayed, but began to simply ignore the desire.

 _We'd be like a family..._ Her mind wandered to Alice's excited face and her energy, after all the death that their youngest member had seen there was still that spark of innocence that they all admired.

She bounced a Pocky she found on her lips, biting a little off every so often. _Why does everyone think its so crazy though?_

Both Rei and Saeko seemed against his idea from the start.

Hearing a knock the girls concentration was broken. "Who is it?"

Surprised to see Miss Shizuka standing in the door Saya offered the chair across from her. The nurse settled in, cup in hand, presumably coffee. The blonde seemed troubled.

Their eldest member took a sip of her drink before speaking. "So, how're you doing?"

This puzzled the pinkette, "What do you mean?"

"Um, well you and Kohta ran off after we got back so I assumed something was wrong, Takashi went to check on him and I wanted to make sure you were okay." She twiddled with the handle on the mug.

She crossed her arms, "I just don't see why its such a bad idea to stick around here."

The nurse looked down into the dark liquid, "I think its a wonderful idea, getting to stay with all of you. Its been such an adventure, except for Them of course."

Shizuka's words made Saya smile, but it quickly shifted to a frown. "Kohta probably thinks we're all against it. I should've said something."

"Maybe you should go to him? He'd appreciate the support, I'm sure."

 _Its complicated_ , "Well I needed some time to think is all. It would be an undertaking since we don't have much in terms of manpower."

"We'd make it work, thats just what we do!" The blonde all but shouted.

 _Thats the truth_.

* * *

Takashi found Kohta still drowning in his own thoughts. The leader knocking on the balcony threshold to announce his presence. He sat down crossed legs beside the other boy.

Not wanting to beat around the bush Takashi went straight to the point. "So, you really think this is the place?"

The gunner sat up, not speaking for a short while.

"Honestly, I'm not sure, but I think its worth the risk."

He looked out over the courtyard, "At least it has an iron fence, it isn't very tall though." Knowing this would trigger the flood he allowed Kohta to begin his rant.

"Thats the thing though, all we would really have to do is put some primitive stakes or something to keep Them away from the fence, then there'd be no risk of Them breaking in unless they came in swarm. I still think the rain that we've been having will have lead them away."

Takashi scratched his chin, "What about raiders? If they see a fort they'd be likely to steal from us."

Hirano's eyes adopted a dark glimmer, "We'd have to kill them."

"And if they attack in the night?"

The gunner rubbed his neck, "I'm not sure, I really wish we found some others that'd help us, but things would become a dictatorship after some point."

"Unless we build trust with them like we built trust with each other." A new voice joined the conversation.

Saya, pillow in hand, sat beside Kohta gazing at the horizon like they were.

Takashi snorted, "Build trust? Who are you and what have you done with Takagi?"

She rolled her eyes, "Ha-ha. I'm being serious."

"Women and children would take priority, obviously, its men we'd have to be careful of." Kohta flicked a bug off the balcony.

"Well, unfortunately we have no way of screening people, it would just have to be blind trust until they prove their worth."

The leader scoffed, "They might put a knife to our throat before we get the chance to decide."

Saya brought her knees to her chin, "I wish Rika had stayed with us. Shizuka seemed to trust her."

"She did say she'd try to find us once your dad had found a safe location, she might be on her way now for all we know. We told them a rough path we would take." Kohta was now sitting up.

"That could take weeks, what if someone shows up tomorrow?"

Kohta snorted, "Are you kidding, we haven't seen anyone living since we left."

She flicked his nose, "That doesn't mean there isn't a chance we won't see someone."

"Ow!" The gunner rubbed his nose. "It doesn't matter if Rei, Miss Shizuka, and Saeko aren't on board with it." The boy looking dejected like he had been before.

"Blondie is with us, she just didn't say anything."

The moon was slowly rising over the horizon, basking them all in a cool glow. "Rei already had a hard enough time leaving her mother, you really think she'd sit well with the idea of not seeing her for years?"

Neither Takashi or Saya had a rebuttal.

"We're a family though, so that has to mean something." Another newcomer spoke up behind them. They suddenly found themselves in the embrace of the nurse herself, who somehow managed to wrap them all in her arms.

After letting them go she settled in beside Takagi. "You kids have grown up more than I could've ever imagined. I almost feel like a mother after all this."

Her sweet words warmed them.

The gunner smiled, "Its all thanks to you stitching us up!"

She giggled, "Oh stop."

They all began to laugh after that, enjoying the clear night sky for a while.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed, had a bit of trouble writing this chapter since there isn't much that happens besides fluff, but it was fun nonetheless!**


End file.
